Social and monetary incentives counteract fear-driven avoidance: Evidence from approach-avoidance decisions

Pittig, Andre; Hengen, Kristina M.; Bublatzky, Florian; Alpers, Georg W.

doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2018.04.002

Cited by 41 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…From a clinical perspective, we are well aware that avoidance can be a rather stable behavioral pattern (Pittig et al, 2018) and rational approaches are sometimes not sufficient to alter such habitual behavior (Alpers, 2010;Helbig-Lang et al, 2014). However, past research suggests that contemplation is a promising technique to reduce information avoidance, and thereby, it may also foster better compliance with preventive measures.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dealing With the COVID-19 Infodemic: Distress by Information, Information Avoidance, and Compliance With Preventive Measures

2020

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In the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, media reports have caused anxiety and distress in many. In some individuals, feeling distressed by information may lead to avoidance of information, which has been shown to undermine compliance with preventive health behaviors in many health domains (e.g., cancer screenings). We set out to examine whether feeling distressed by information predicts higher avoidance of information about COVID-19 (avoidance hypothesis), and whether this, in turn, predicts worse compliance with measures intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (compliance hypothesis). Thus, we conducted an online survey with a convenience sample (N = 1,059, 79.4% female) and assessed distress by information, information avoidance, and compliance with preventive measures. Furthermore, we inquired about participants' information seeking behavior and media usage, their trust in information sources, and level of eHealth literacy, as well as generalized anxiety. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses to predict distress by information, information avoidance, and compliance with preventive measures. Overall, distress by information was associated with better compliance. However, distress was also linked with an increased tendency to avoid information (avoidance hypothesis), and this reduced compliance with preventive measures (compliance hypothesis). Thus, distress may generally induce adaptive behavior in support of crisis management, unless individuals respond to it by avoiding information. These findings provide insights into the consequences of distress by information and avoidance of information during a global health crisis. These results underscore that avoiding information is a maladaptive response to distress by information, which may ultimately interfere with effective crisis management. Consequently, we emphasize the need to develop measures to counteract information avoidance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dealing With the COVID-19 Infodemic: Distress by Information, Information Avoidance, and Compliance With Preventive Measures

2020

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“…However, it has not been clear, what specific component of risk evaluation is actually biased in high fearful individuals. Importantly, the anticipation of negative outcomes has been found to be one of the main drivers of avoidance behavior in anxiety disorders (see Bublatzky et al, 2017; Pittig et al, 2018). Even in the absence of aversive experience, threat expectations may remain stable (Bublatzky et al, 2014) especially if they are not adequately addressed by therapeutic interventions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It shows high reliability and validity as well as high specificity and good sensitivity in differentiating fearful and non-fearful individuals. According to recommendations of Rinck et al (2002) and previously published articles with the same cut-offs (e.g., Pittig et al, 2018), participants with a score of 6 or lower were classified as low spider fearful participants and those with a score of 15 or higher as high spider fearful participants.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

What’s the Risk? Fearful Individuals Generally Overestimate Negative Outcomes and They Dread Outcomes of Specific Events

Hengen

Alpers

2019

Front. Psychol.

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Although it is an adaptive mechanism that danger usually elicits fear, it seems that fearful individuals overestimate the danger associated with their feared objects or situations. Previous research has not systematically distinguished between the estimated risk of an encounter with fear-relevant stimuli and the expected unpleasant outcomes of such encounters. Furthermore, it is not clear if biased risk perception is specific to an individual’s fear or generalized to all negative events. In an online-survey ( N = 630) we assessed the estimated risk to encounter fear-relevant stimuli and the expectations of negative outcomes of such encounters. Items contained three domains (spiders, snakes, and everyday fear triggers). In regression analyses we examined the specific associations between fear and risk estimations. In addition, we compared subgroups with specific fears and low fearful individuals. While an individual’s fear score was not related to the estimated risk of an encounter with fear-specific stimuli, it was related to an overestimation of negative outcomes in all domains. The perceived risk of aversive outcomes was most pronounced for an individual’s specific fear. Furthermore, an individual’s specific fear was most predictive of the estimated risk of a negative fear-relevant outcome. Highly fearful individuals overestimate the risk of negative outcomes of fear-relevant encounters. Specifically, they dread outcomes of encounters with their feared object. Differentiating fear-relevant components of risk perception provides insights into the cognitions which may motivate maladaptive avoidance behavior.

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“…For instance, expressions of anger or happiness have been shown to be associated with preferential neural processing relative to neutral faces (e.g., in the amygdala or temporo-occipital cortex; Phelps and LeDoux, 2005; Adolphs, 2008; Bublatzky et al, 2014b, 2017b; Schindler et al, 2019). This processing advantage presumably sets the stage for overt behaviors such as speeded response times (Öhman et al, 2001; Craig et al, 2014) or decisions to approach or avoid a feared stimulus or situation (e.g., Bublatzky et al, 2017a; Pittig et al, 2018). Regarding the activity of the somatic and autonomic nervous system while viewing facial emotions, however, result patterns are mixed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reversing Threat to Safety: Incongruence of Facial Emotions and Instructed Threat Modulates Conscious Perception but Not Physiological Responding

2019

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Facial expressions inform about other peoples’ emotion and motivation and thus are central for social communication. However, the meaning of facial expressions may change depending on what we have learned about the related consequences. For instance, a smile might easily become threatening when displayed by a person who is known to be dangerous. The present study examined the malleability of emotional facial valence by means of social learning. To this end, facial expressions served as cues for verbally instructed threat-of-shock or safety (e.g., “happy faces cue shocks”). Moreover, reversal instructions tested the flexibility of threat/safety associations (e.g., “now happy faces cue safety”). Throughout the experiment, happy, neutral, and angry facial expressions were presented and auditory startle probes elicited defensive reflex activity. Results show that self-reported ratings and physiological reactions to threat/safety cues dissociate. Regarding threat and valence ratings, happy facial expressions tended to be more resistant becoming a threat cue, and angry faces remain threatening even when instructed as safety cue. For physiological response systems, however, we observed threat-potentiated startle reflex and enhanced skin conductance responses for threat compared to safety cues regardless of whether threat was cued by happy or angry faces. Thus, the incongruity of visual and verbal threat/safety information modulates conscious perception, but not the activation of physiological response systems. These results show that verbal instructions can readily overwrite the intrinsic meaning of facial emotions, with clear benefits for social communication as learning and anticipation of threat and safety readjusted to accurately track environmental changes.

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Social and monetary incentives counteract fear-driven avoidance: Evidence from approach-avoidance decisions

Cited by 41 publications

References 54 publications

Dealing With the COVID-19 Infodemic: Distress by Information, Information Avoidance, and Compliance With Preventive Measures

Dealing With the COVID-19 Infodemic: Distress by Information, Information Avoidance, and Compliance With Preventive Measures

What’s the Risk? Fearful Individuals Generally Overestimate Negative Outcomes and They Dread Outcomes of Specific Events

Reversing Threat to Safety: Incongruence of Facial Emotions and Instructed Threat Modulates Conscious Perception but Not Physiological Responding

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